Film processing apparatus



April 2, 1968 M. B. FLEISHER ET AL.

FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1965 I24 I22 28 I28 38 INVENTORS Marv/n B. F leisher Philip E. Hixon ATTORNEYS I A ril 2, 1968 M. B. FLEISHER ET AL 3,375,593

FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheec Marv/h a. Fla/she): Fir/71,27 1 H/xon ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,375,593 FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Marvin B. Fleisher, Wantagh, and Philip E. Hixon, Jericho, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Itek Corporation, Lexington, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,052 Claims. (Cl. 34155) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a film developing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus that processes a continuous strip of film material which continuous strip of material is passed through the apparatus in a straight horizontal line path of travel.

In accordance with the present invention a continuous and automatic processing apparatus is provided wherein a strip of film material or cut sheets of film to be treated or processed enters one end of the machine and passes through a developing section or stage, after which the film thereafter is passed through a fixer section or stage, and then passes through a wash stage or section and thereafter the film is passed through a dryer section so that the complete development of the film takes place in a quick and efiicient manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus wherein the developer section of the device is sealed off from the dryer section so that the fumes and gases generated in the dryer section will not have any deleterious effects on the film as it is being passed through the developer section.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a photographic film developing apparatus wherein partition or divider means are provided between the developer section and the dryer section so that the gases and fumes from the dryer section cannot enter the developer section and inadvertently damage or effect the development of the film by the developer solution in the developer section, or vice-versa.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a film developing apparatus wherein the level of the solution in the various stages, for example in the developer, fixer and wash stages, can be readily observed. Another object of the present invention is to provide a film development device having a plurality of liquid level gauge means that indicate the level of the solution in the individual stages or sections of the apparatus at all times so that none of the sections will inadvertently be depleted of the proper amount of solution to thereby cause the film material being passed therethrough to be undeveloped, or poorly processed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dryer section for a film developing apparatus wherein the drying gas, which consists of air, is pre-heated before it is passed over the film that is fed through the dryer section in a straight line path of travel between roller means.

Various objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed ice description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the film developing apparatus embodied in the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detailed side elevational fragmentary section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the developer and fixer sections, disposed adjacent the forward end of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the liquid level gauges embodied in the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the liquid level gauges shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation in section of the dryer section embodied in the present invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a section taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 10 generally designates the film developing apa-pratus or device of the present invention and consists of a substantially rectangular and vertically disposed casing or housing 12 having identical side walls 14, a front wall 16 and a rear wall 18. The upper portion 20 of the casing is provided with an inclined section 22, which terminates in a substantially horizontal top 24. The top 24 is provided with a substantially rectangular encircling rim 26, extending completely around the perimeter of the casing.

The top 24 is provided with a plurality of hinged cover members 28, 30 and 32, which members are hinged as indicated at 34 along one side of the top. Referring to FIGURE 1 the cover members are shown in their closed the cover members are shown in their folded back or open cover members are shown in their folded back or open position.

Referring to FIGURE 2 it will be noted that the interior of the casing is divided by a plurality of vertical and transversely extending partition members 38, 40 and 42 into a developer section 44, a fixer section 46, a wash section 48, and a dryer section 50.

The developer section 44 has a pair of inlet rollers 52, and a pair of exit rollers 54, with a solution applicator 56 therebetween. The section is also provided with an inlet slot 58, extending transversely of the section and an exit slot 60, so that the strip of film is fed through the inlet 58 and passes between the pair of nip rollers 52 and through the applicator 56 and the exit nip rollers 54, to the discharge slot 60. This structure is more fully described in our co-pending application Serial No. 463,- 309 filed on June 11, 1965.

The fixer section 46 is provided with a pair of inlet nip rollers 62 and a pair of exit nip rollers 64 with a fixer applicator =66 therebetween and a slot 68 for passing the strip of film to the wash section 48. I

The wash section 48 is provided with three pairs of nip rollers 70, 72 and 74, disposed adjacent the front and rear of the sections and the mid-point thereof. This section is further provided with a pair of applicators 76 and 78, and has an exit slot 80 for passing the strip of film after it is passed between the rollers and the applicators to the dryer section 50.

The dryer section 50 is provided with a double pair of rollers 82 and 84 adjacent the forward or inlet end and a pair of rollers 86 adjacent the rear end with a pair of rollers 88 spaced between the rollers 84 and the rollers 86. This section is further provided with means for passing heated air in contact with the strip of film material being passed through the dryer section. The dryer section 50 is provided with an outlet slot 90. The dryer means is generally designated as 92 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The dryer is provided with a lower substantiall rectangular casing 94, extending transversely of the device. The casing 94 is disposed below the pair of rollers 88 and has vertical passages or ducts 96 and 98 disposed adjacent the front and rear of the casing 94, and is best seen in FIGURE 6. The ducts 96 and 98 are further disposed on opposite sides of the casing 94, as best seen in FIGURE 7. A large centrally disposed air supply conduit 100 is connected to the bottom of the chamber or casing 9'4 and communicates with a fan generally indicated as 182. The supply fan 102 may be driven by a motor or other means and supplies air to the conduit and to the casing 94 as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 6 and 7. The casing 94 is further provided with an electrical resistant element 104 for heating the air as it is passed through the chamber 94. The heated air, after passing upwardly through the conduits 96 and 98, flows into transversely extending air distribution chambers 106 and 108. The air distribution chamber 106 communicates with the air ducts 96 while the air distribution 108 communicates with the air ducts 98. The chambers 106 and 108 are identical and consist of a substantially horizontally extending chamber 110 having an inclined top 1 12, a vertical rear wall 114, and vertical side walls 116, and a vertical front wall 114, terminating in a rearwardly extending hook 116. The hook or curved portion 116 is disposed in space relationship with the front end of the inclined bafile or top 112, so that a stream of air or curtain of air can be discharged from the chamber 110 so as to pass in heat exchange relationship with the film passing between the rollers 88 and through the dryer section. The air itself acts as air knife or high velocity airflow to remove moisture.

-As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the dryer is also provided with a pair of heated air distribution chambers 118 and 120, identical to each other and oppositely disposed with respect to the chambers 110, and also receiving heated air from an identical fan and conduit, as already described in connection with the air distribution chambers 110.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the opening in the top 24 for the developer and fixer and washer and dryer sections are all provided with a countersink or recessed ledge 122 disposed around the opening for receiving a complementary peripheral rim 124 on the cover members. When the cover members are in the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rim 124 is seated on the recessedledge 122. At this time the cover members have their top flush with the top 24 of the apparatus.

With respect to the cover member 28 it is provided with a divider member 126 which consists of two inverted L-shape spaced members 128 and 130. The members 128 and 130 are disposed so as to provide a gas tight seal with the partition 38 as best seen in FIG. 2 when the member 28 is in a closed position. If desired, the partition member may be faced or lined with a gasket or sealing member that is gas tight. Thus, the L-shaped members 128 and 130 extend downwardly over the upper end of the partition 38 a substantial distance so that a gas tight seal is formed between the members 128 and 130 and the partition 38 to exclude and prevent any fumes from the dryer section 50 entering the developer section '44 to ruin the film as it passes through this developer section.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the referenced numeral 132 indicates the solution tanks 'for holding liquids for chemical treating and washing. Liquid level sight gauges 134, "136, and 138 extend from the bottom of the tanks 132 and are supported in a vertical manner to indicate the level of the liquid in the respective tanks. The sight gauges are preferably made of flexible clear plastic to enable the gauge to be also used as a liquid drain tube. All solution and wash tanks are essentially the same.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the present film processing apparatus provides a film developing device wherein any fumes from the heated air dryer are prevented from entering the developer section by divider means so that the film being processed therein will not be damaged.

The present invention further provides a compact and inexpensive dryer means for supplying heated air to the continuous strip of film as it passes through the dryer section to uniformly and evenly dry the processed film. Moreover, the air fiow pattern in the dryer permits the leading edge of consecutive sheets of film to .enter the chambers generally without the-use of leader tabs.

The present invention further provides liquid level gauge means so that the liquid solution in each of the liquid tanks of the apparatus can be readily ascertained at all times.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the form, location and relative arrangement of the several parts without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heated air drier for a film developing device comprising:

air blower means;

a substantially horizontally extending and rectangular heated air chamber in communication with said blower means;v

heating means in said chamber;

divided vertical air outlet means in communication with and disposed adjacent to the front and rear ends of said heated air chamber and on opposite sides thereof;

and air distribution means adjacent to the ends of said vertical outlet means;

said distribution means having transversely extending passages between said outlet means.

discharge 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said distribution means has a horizontal bottom and vertical front and rear Walls and outlet means is provided in its top.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said distribution outlet means consists of an elongated opening extending between said vertical outlet means.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said opening is formed by an inclined baffie and an arcuate portion of said front wall.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein there are at least two air distributor means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,296 2/1932 Langsner -94 2,748,677 6/1956 Berlant 9589 2,842,865 7/1958 Enkelmann 95--94 X 2,884,711 5/1959 ParkeS 34-160 X 3,000,288 9/1961 Winne'k 9589 3,095,798 7/1963 Kelly 9594 3,096,701 7/1963 Edwards 95-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 909,788 1l/196 2 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

F. L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner. 

